LAHORE: The Pakistani nation on Wednesday will observe the 24th death anniversary of “Lion of Kargil” Capt Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed who laid down his life in the icy, inhospitable peaks in Kargil for the defense of the motherland.
Even Indian talked of valour of Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed when his body was returned to Pakistan that how the young officer on a mission impossible did the honourable thing: fight to the very end. Pakistan awarded son of the soil with Nishan-i-Haider. The nation’s history is lush with tales of his militarist agility and faith in God. The 24th martyrdom anniversary of Capt Karnel Sher Khan Shaheed will be observed with fervour to pay glowing tribute to this brave son of the soil across the country on Wednesday (tomorrow).
During the Kargil conflict on the Line of Control (LoC) in 1999, he emerged as the symbol of mettle and courage and inflicted heavy losses on the Indian forces while defending the five strategic posts at the height of 17,000 feet in Gultray.
Capt Karnel Sher Khan embraced martyred on July 5, 1999, while gallantly defending the motherland and was decorated with the country`s highest gallantry award, Nishan-e-Haider.
Capt Karnal Sher Khan was a crusader from the very beginning and a very fearless officer. Born, in 1970, the young man from Swabi first joined Pakistan
Air Force (PAF) as an Airman but later joined Pakistan Army as a commissioned officer in 1992. On 14 October 1994, Khan was commissioned in the 27th Sindh Regiment of the Pakistan Army – also known as the ‘Lion of Haider.’
He was named Karnal Sher Khan by his grandfather who as a volunteer went to Kashmir and fought against the Indian aggressors under a commander called Colonel Sher Khan. On November 8, 1992, when Sher arrived at the Pakistan Military Academy for training, he was no stranger to the rugged and testing training, but the harsher days and nights were going to – in the hindsight – to prepare him for his final moments in the nation’s war against the enemy.
